Governor Signs Emergency Proclamation to Prevent Dengue and Zika

February 12, 2016, 3:19 PM HST
* Updated February 12, 3:39 PM

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Governor David Ige today signed an emergency proclamation as a preventive measure against mosquito borne illnesses that include dengue fever and Zika. This follows the recent decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to open its emergency operations center at Level 1 to prepare for and mitigate the Zika risk.

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“There have been no locally acquired Zika cases in the US or Hawaiʻi, and we’d like to keep it that way. This is about getting in front of the situation across the state. I will be coordinating planning efforts with the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency, all county mayors and Civil Defense coordinators,” said Gov. Ige.

On Hawai‘i Island, representatives with the Governor’s office say, “dengue fever cases continue to be fewer and farther between,” however, state officials say, “the battle is not over and state continues to focus resources to break the cycle of dengue fever infection and transmission.”

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The emergency proclamation will give the state access to the Major Disaster Fund, the option of waiving certain laws and regulations to expedite the outbreak response if and when needed, as well as pave the way for federal assistance should the state exhaust its resources.

The state previously released the State Health Department from a 5% budget restriction of $250,000 to fund costs incurred while responding to the onset of the dengue outbreak.

The state is also releasing the Health Department from another 5% restriction of $250,000 to fund eight vector control positions, one entomologist and one communications position.